Happy Friday! This was a weird week, so much that I don't remember too much. It was kind of uneventful and pretty anxiety inducing for a lot of different reasons. I'm happy it's the weekend and happy for another reason: my best friend since I was three years old is getting married today! It's just a church wedding with the party being next year (#covidbrides) but seeing her get married is going to be very emotional.

The couple has been together since we were 15 years old and I was there the first time they met. We always knew they would get married and now it's happening and I'm just an emotional mess about it. 

I'm really excited to kick off wedding season for all my friends as it was put on hold last year. It's going to be a busy few months! 

On another note, I'm getting my 2nd vaccine shot on Monday and excited for it to finally be over! One step closer to being fully protected and it's going to feel so good. 

I'm going to spend the weekend running errands, working on blog stuff and relaxing... I cannot wait. For now, let's get into the post.

Pink Positivity of the Week

My company gave us most of Wednesday off this week just because. It was a nice surprise and I took advantage by taking a walk around my neighborhood. It was beautiful out, almost 80 degrees and it was just nice to be out in the sunshine on a random afternoon. I walked to Starbucks, got a delicious coffee and just took my time. It was wonderful. 

Links I Loved

• Anxiety about not wearing a mask? You're not alone! 
• What is a Saturn return? 
• This is my favorite list on the internet right now
• How to handle your period cramps, please and thank you! 
• Must have bedtime essentials! 

What You Missed on Royally Pink

What I Bought This Week

 I don't know where I came across this book but I'm very glad I did. I scored it on sale at Barnes & Noble for my Nook a few weeks back and read it fairly quickly. The Book of Moods is written by Lauren Martin, founder of a website called Words of Women. She deep dove into her mood problem and how she fixed it.

As someone who is extremely moody and always have been I'm very interested in our moods and how they affect our lives, how we can control them and what they actually mean. 

This book was part research, part memoir and I really loved it. I can see myself re-reading this and recommending it to anyone who wants to learn more about their own moodiness. 

Publisher's Summary

My Thoughts

Who would've thought that hand sanitizer would be something you needed to review? Over the past year I think we have all tried handfuls (pun intended) of hand sanitizer. Every beauty brand started releasing their own versions, new brands popped up that specialized in sanitizer and we started buying it in bulk.

Before the pandemic, I always carried hand sanitizer with me. I never left the house without it so nothing has really changed for me in that aspect. What has changed is the hand sanitizer market -- everyone has one now so there is so much more to try! I'm all for that -- I love having options when it comes to wellness and beauty. 

Over the course of the year I have tried a lot of hand sanitizers, from tons of different brands. Before the pandemic I mostly used Bath & Body Works because I didn't care for regular Purell, however, right before March 2020, I ordered a Touchland sanitizer and fell in love. The timing was very lucky because for months, hand sanitizer was sold out everywhere and I held onto that bottle for dear life. 

Now we don't have the availability problem but it can be overwhelming to choose a sanitizer where the options are endless. Which is why I'm rounding up the best ones I've tried over the year. To me, a good hand sanitizer is one that doesn't dry out your skin, absorbs quickly into your hands without leaving behind any greasy residue. I like to use my hands after sanitizing so something that burns or leaves your hands feeling wet is a no go for me. These are the four sanitizers that I've been testing for months and months, and that I love so much! 

As mentioned in my last Manicure Monday, I needed to try more polishes from the Slumber Party collection from Essie. I was in need of a new hot pink polish and "Slumber Party On" was that color. It really jumped out at me when browsing online and when I saw it in person, I was in love.

It's a super bright, hot pink -- perfect for the spring and summer. I also feel as though hot pink is a color that can be worn year round, even though it is very bright. Slumber Party Onn definitely falls into that all year round category in my opinion.

 Happy Friday! This week was another odd one; there was a lot of ups and downs, mostly throughout the world not so much personally. I was a mess on Tuesday afternoon before they announced the verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial and there was also a mass shooting 20 minutes away from me in a Long Island grocery store. It really affected and upset me so it was super hard to calm down and focus. 

I'm hoping the weekend is a little more lowkey; I have my friend's bridal shower Saturday which will be fun and am hoping to get some other random work done over the weekend. We will see what I accomplish! 

Pink Positivity of the Week

I've been really taking care of myself the past few weeks and have made a lot of different doctor's appointments, including a nutritionist who recommended I try out the Peloton app for workouts even though I have a flimsy stationery bike. Well, I have been killing it on the app and I'm really obsessed. I get such a great workout in and when I push myself to get on the bike even when I don't want to, I feel so good afterwards. I could see why Peloton is as popular as it is, it's insanely awesome. It was definitely a bright spot this week! 

Links I Loved

• How to Overcome the Sunday Scaries (I need this!!)
• Glossier has a new facial cleanser and it sounds interesting 
• Why coffee can help your seasonal allergies
• What is languishing? 
• Career goals to set for yourself this year 

What You Missed on Royally Pink:

What I Bought This Week 

I've been planning this post for a while but on the heels of the Apple event where they launched new iMacs and an iPad Pro, it felt appropriate to post my review of my 'new' Macbook Air. 

Before this computer, I had a silver 11 inch Macbook Air and I adored it. I bought it myself back in 2016 after getting rid of an old school, white Macbook. I adored my Macbook Air and it was well loved but it was time for it to go. There was no storage left, I couldn't use iMovie nor could I store any documents on it.

I also wanted a bigger screen. After working on a 15 inch Macbook Pro as my work computer for the past year (at home), going to my little computer it was less than ideal. I wanted a bigger screen in addition to needing more storage. 

After reading and comparing the Macbooks, I decided on the 2020 Macbook Air, 13 inch, in Bronze. I wanted the newest computer possible with a decent amount of storage and figured now was my chance to really upgrade my laptop experience. 

I've heard the praises of Riley Sager being sung for years and I've finally understood why. I recently reviewed his novels, "Final Girls" & "Lock Every Door" and they're incredible, excellent thrillers. I've had this novel, "Home Before Dark" in my collection for a few months thanks to Book of the Month and finally read it.

It was not what I expected in any way; it was really out there and unlike anything I've ever read before. Sager has a way of doing that... of giving you a traditional story in an unexpected, outrageous way. 

"Home Before Dark" is not a psychological thriller in a traditional way; it's very much a paranormal thriller and I've really never read anything like it before. It was so good and I read it within a few days. 

TGIF. This was another weird week. I was very up and down... plus, the news is just tragic and depressing. More gun violence, more police brutality more laws against the LGTBQ+ community. I'm exhausted and I say that as a white woman. I cannot imagine how the marginalized groups feel. It's just really freaking sad. 

As I'm writing this, news broke that there was another mass shooting in Ann Arbor, MI and that makes the mass shooting count three in the past 24 hours. This is really exhausting and really sad. 

One bright spot was that I got my first vaccine on Monday! I was a little nervous but the process was incredibly smooth and it took 10 minutes from when I entered the building to having the shot in my arm. The only side effect was that my arm was sore Monday night and then all day on Tuesday but a little Tylenol fixed that right up. 

I'm really happy to be vaccinated, to protect those around me but also to give me peace of mind. Throughout this entire thing I wasn't that afraid of getting sick but once I had a scare of exposure, my anxiety would go through the roof. It was more annoying than anything: the cycle of trying to be careful, possibly getting exposed, quarantining, getting a test, etc... wash, rinse, repeat. I'll be very happy to not be overly anxious about being exposed now that I have the vaccine. My 2nd dose is in a few weeks and once that happens, summer is calling my name.

It's my sister's birthday this weekend and we're celebrating a few times; I'm doing brunch with her and her friends tomorrow and then a family brunch on Sunday. It'll be busy and nice. Tonight, I'm planning on getting some 'work' done (we'll see how that goes since it's already 8 PM)

Let's get into the roundup!

Pink Positivity of the Week

I'm going to have to go with the vaccine. I got pretty emotional when I saw the process of everyone lining up to get their shots and the energy was really palpable. It was wild to see how far we've come in a year and I just cannot believe it. 

Links I Loved

What You Missed on Royally Pink

Have a great weekend!

xoxo

B

Spring is in the air and that means seasonal Stoney Clover is ready to be worn! It feels like the brand has been in spring mode for a while since their past three collections has felt very spring-like. There was the Puffy Collection, the Denim Collection and most recently the Pastel Picnic Collection. 

I purchased items from all three collections and I'm not sure which one has been my favorite. Everyone was really hyped up for the Pastel Picnic but once I saw the entire collection I was overwhelmed and didn't think I wanted much; I ended up buying two pieces (one that hasn't arrived as I'm writing this). 

As for the other two collections, I have two pieces each and I love them. As much as I love SCL, I 'm trying to limit the amount of items I buy and trying not to buy things because of the hype or because I'm scared of the collection selling out. There's also a lot of core items I want for the summer/any travel I plan on doing so limiting myself is best. 

All three collections are still in stock and put me in a different spring mood so I figured I'd give you some inspiration! 

Pastel Picnic Collection

Lavender Small Pouch with Pastel Picnic Letters

Mint Chip Heart Tote with assorted sketch patches: Lemon Sunflower Rainbow Butterfly Daisy Cherry Bow Rose

Denim Collection

Puffy Collection

I received this book pre-publication from Netgalley; it was released in August 2020 but I didn't get around to reading it until then. I know I need to get better at reading/reviewing books before or right as they are being released. 

Spoiler alert: "Three Perfect Liars" by Heidi Perks was a really wonderful book and I enjoyed it a lot! 

Publisher's Summary

My Thoughts

 The Essie's "Not Red-y for Bed" collection was released a few months ago and it drew me in immediately. I picked up two shades "From A to Zz" and "The Snuggle Is Real" and loved them both. After going through my nail polish collection for the spring and summer I realized I needed some new colors.

Recently, Essie posted some swatches of the collection on Instagram and the color "Wink of Sleep" really stood out. It's the most gorgeous deep violet shade that I think is perfect for the transition season of winter into spring. 

Happy Sunday! I just got finished cleaning my closet, switching out some winter clothes and straightening up my room. I feel so accomplished and my room feels very at peace. Now I'm laying down, getting some work done and watching The Nanny on HBO Max. I binged the first season last weekend and it felt so good to watch my comfort show again. I loved The Nanny when I was younger and it still hits in your late twenties. 

This weekend was low key - I stayed in Friday, got together with a friend last night and I feel ready for the week ahead. The rest of April is jam packed with birthdays, brunches, bridal showers and weddings so it'll be a very exciting few weeks. 

Let's dive into the roundup! 

Pink Positivity of the Week

Links I Loved

What I Bought This Week

Have a great week!

xoxo

B

It's time for one of the year's biggest beauty sales; the Sephora VIB Sale starts for Rouge members on April 9th and VIB and Beauty Insider days will follow in the coming weeks. Twice a year, Sephora has a 20% off sale and almost everything is eligible. 

These Sephora sales used to be a bigger deal because nothing ever went on sale at Sephora but that's changed recently. I think they finally realized they needed to be competitive with Ulta who frequently has 20% off coupons and other sales throughout the year.

Nowadays, Sephora will throw random coupons at us (just a few weeks ago I got 20% off brows for no reason!) and they even price match Ulta's 21 Days of Beauty. While we get more from Sephora than ever before, the VIB Sale still feels special. It's a time to try new products, stock up on some favorites and have a little fun.

Over the past two years I feel like I've lost my love of beauty products; the market felt oversaturated and the products felt too similar. Throw in a pandemic where no one is really wearing makeup and it all feels a little pointless. However, that's really changed in the past few months. I don't know what it is but I feel really excited about beauty products again... and that's resulted in me buying and trying more.

I've been holding off on a Sephora purchase for the past month because I knew the sale was coming up and I got a gift card for Easter (thanks mom!) so there are definitely a few things I'm going to buy.

What I'm Buying

What I Recommend

I do this post every time there's a Sephora sale and I mostly recommend the same items... I can't help that I love what I love! Below are my picks from the sale and what you need to try! 

Makeup

Skincare

Haircare

What will you be getting from the sale? Is there anything you recommend?

xoxo
B

 I received an ARC of "Kisses and Croissants" from Netgalley and read it a few months back. It was published yesterday (!!!) and is now available for purchase.

What drew me in about this book was of course, the name. I love anything having to do with croissants and obviously, you knew this was going to be set in Paris. Combine that with the ballet dancer trope and you've got a plot that was made for me. 

I really loved this book; it was sweet, beautiful, and a quick read. It's a great palette cleanser between thrillers or when you feel like you need a light novel or a trip to Paris! 

Publisher's Summary

Mia Jenrow has always known she's destined to be a professional ballerina. In fact, it’s in her blood—according to family legend, her too-many-greats-to-count-grandmother once danced for the Paris Opera and was painted by Degas himself! Her parents say it’s just a fantasy, but to Mia it’s so much more than that. It’s her fate.
 
Mia is planning to spend a magical summer in France pursuing her dream, but as she pirou-ettes into Paris, she soon realizes it may be a bit more complicated than she hoped. For starters, there’s her rival, Audrey, who will stop at nothing to show her up. There’s her ballet instructor, whose impossibly high standards push her to the breaking point. And then . . . there’s Louis. Devastatingly, distractingly charming Louis. He’s eager to show Mia his city—and Mia is more than happy to hop on his Vespa and wrap her arms around him as they pass the gleaming lights of the Eiffel Tower.
 
Mia’s summer was supposed to be about ballet—but there’s a reason Paris is called the City of Love. . . .

My Thoughts

Reading is my life. Over the past year, through the pandemic and on the other side, reading has been a crutch for me, a way to escape the bad news that surrounds us and a form of therapy. I've always used reading that way but this past year really challenged my mental health more than ever so it shouldn't be a surprise that I read 50 books in 2020, the most I've ever read in a year. 

Over the course of the past few months I've found myself reading more than ever before. There are so many books out there that I have my eyes on and I just want to read them all. It's very exciting for me, it's my favorite past time and I can't get enough.

My Goodreads Reading Challenge for 2021 was to read 60 books, just 10 more than last year and I'm already almost halfway to the goal. In March alone I read around 10 books and according to Goodreads, I'm 13 books ahead of schedule.

All of this got me thinking... how is it that I read so much? I thought it would be a fun little blog post so here we are! 

It's time for another Orosa Beauty review! I think I've finally worked through all the shades I bought last summer of the Coastal Craze by Charli and Dixie D'Amelio as I just tried the Abyss shade.

Abyss is one of Dixie's shades and is a true nude, described as a sandy beige. I loved the shade in the bottle and I did love it on my nails but it's extremely nude. It blended right into my skin and excuse my comparison, but like grandma nail polish. 

It had a very opaque finish so there wasn't a lot of shine to reflect light, which made the nails look very flat. It wasn't an attractive nail color, however, I didn't hate it. It's a very specific kind of look and I kind of liked it! It's not a color I would wear everyday and if you have darker skin than me (I'm pretty fair) it'll probably look even better! 

As the other polishes in this collection, the formula was really great. There was minimal chipping after 3-4 days, it went on very smooth with hardly any patchiness. I'm sure the other Orosa polishes have similar formulas and I'm excited to try other colors. I'm a little bored of my collection so I'll be sure to pick up a few new ones soon!

All in all, I liked the D'Amelio sister collection from Orosa; it felt very on brand for them, the colors are really pretty and the formula is superb. I recommend!

What's on your nails this week?
xoxo
B

Happy freaking Friday! I am once again, happy the week is over. I feel like I don't even remember the week because it went so fast, yet so slow. Monday feels like ages ago. I can feel myself starting to get burnt out again because nothing is truly bringing me joy. 

I have so many ideas and so much mental motivation but physical motivation is something I am seriously lacking. That is always my problem; I can never push myself to actually do the things I want to do in terms of writing and the blog. I have so many hopes and dreams but when I think about doing something about them, it feels too overwhelming. It feels like I had an epiphany about that this week so I think it will be a goal of mine for April.

Yes, April! We are almost halfway through 2021... the year is FLYING. Last weekend I had my best friend's bridal shower and we officially kicked off wedding season for my friends who had postponed their weddings last year. I'm excited for all of them and excited for myself... celebrations are something to really look forward to! 

Also, in terms of Covid, NYC is officially opening vaccines to everyone 16+ years old next week! I was already eligible and had an appointment scheduled for May but I'd love to go earlier and I finally got an appointment for next week. EEEEK! This is very exciting.

It is Easter weekend for us Catholics and because a lot of my family members are vaccinated, most importantly my grandparents, we will be celebrating this weekend and I'm really excited. Easter isn't my favorite (Christmas is better, obviously) but it's fun nonetheless. 

For someone who started out this post feeling negative, I sure feel a little better about my weekend ahead and my goals for the month...maybe I should start doing monthly goal posts to hold myself accountable.

Anyways, let's get into the roundup.

I love my SATC sweatshirts from Letters & Lucy!

Pink Positivity of the Week

Links I Loved

• Why April 4th is going to be lucky 
• Podcast hosts are the next beauty founders? 
• The products a beauty editor can't live without
• Beauty products editors bought in March
• I loved this article about the Grey's Anatomy musical episode
• How to curb emotional spending (!!)
• Things that can affect your dreams, very interesting

What You Missed on Royally Pink

What I Bought This Week

My shopping continued this week #yikes but I will be better next week! Along with the items linked below, I bought two rings from my favorite jewelry brand, C&C Luxury, linked here and here. I also picked up some candles from my favorite brand, Shop Evil Queen. I bought Do Not Disturb and Bitches Who Brunch. 

xoxo
B